1
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
in their bitter custody battle, the divorcing couple are at a total impasse
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2
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the impossible impasse faced by those who opposed the war but did not want to seem disloyal to the troops
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impasse
The impasse over the resumption of the MLB season gets deeper, as CommissionerRob Manfred now states that there may not be a season at all.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
The Virginia Democrat questioned the White House's seriousness about the impasse, noting that the House has already left Washington and would be unable to approve an extension at this hour.
—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Its passage breaks a monthslong partisan impasse in Congress over immigration policy.
—
Chad De Guzman,
Time,
10 June 2026
Indeed, these executives say advertisers and TV sales executives appear to be at an impasse over cable networks focused on entertainment.
—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
The Virginia Democrat questioned the White House's seriousness about the impasse, noting that the House has already left Washington and would be unable to approve an extension at this hour.
—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Its passage breaks a monthslong partisan impasse in Congress over immigration policy.
—
Chad De Guzman,
Time,
10 June 2026
Indeed, these executives say advertisers and TV sales executives appear to be at an impasse over cable networks focused on entertainment.
—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impasse
Noun
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Gulf primary bond issuance came to an abrupt halt in the wake of the conflict, with corporate and sovereign bond yields jumping as geopolitical tensions escalated.
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Wrangling my emotions became the difference between sputtering to a halt and moving forward.
Noun
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The combination of Olise’s footwork and Mbappé’s speed creates a don’t-know-where-to-turn predicament for France’s opponents.
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Potential romantic entanglement aside, these two have seriously different perspectives on Paula’s predicament.
Noun
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Balogun’s fancy footwork broke a scoreless deadlock 45 minutes into the action, booting a left-footed shot through the goalie’s outstretched legs.
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And finally, in the 71st minute, the Netherlands has broken the scoreless deadlock after a wild run that ended with Cody Gakpo's score.
Noun
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Deciding whether to include a second job on your resume is a common dilemma, as hiring managers often disagree on such details.
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As open source models become more capable, governments are going to face a real dilemma about what to do about them.
Noun
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But the stalemate only lasted for two minutes, with De Ketelaere scoring again to restore Belgium’s lead.
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In this climate, a wider conflict, with NATO – the enemy Putin has always railed against – could both explain Moscow’s slow slide into stalemate in Ukraine and help justify a wider war, or even full-scale mobilization inside Russia.
Noun
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Start with the Single Smash, layered with griddled onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and smash sauce, then explore variations from there, including a falafel smash for vegetarians.
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The dog can also be served in a classic Chicago-style, topped with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, celery salt, sport peppers and pickle.
Noun
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Mozeliak said the Angels should not consider a trade proposal in isolation, without considering how to flex their major-market muscles to fill whatever hole a trade might create.
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The difference between these two measurements gives the exciton binding energy, a key quantity that determines how strongly the electron and hole remain bound together.
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impasse. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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